What are the symptoms of alopecia areata?

Alopecia areata often begins with one or more round or oval areas where hair disappears over a short time. The exposed skin usually looks smooth rather than scaly. You may notice small tapered or broken hairs around a patch, and the area can feel normal, itchy, tingling, or mildly sensitive. The condition can affect scalp hair, facial hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, or body hair. Nail changes such as tiny pits or roughness can occur alongside hair changes. Hair loss may remain limited to patches or become more extensive, so the pattern and pace are useful details for a clinician.

Take clear photographs of the patches and note when each area appeared, whether it is expanding, and whether other hair-bearing sites are involved. Avoid tight hairstyles, harsh chemical treatments, and scratching the skin. A dermatologist can examine the scalp and hairs and consider other causes of patchy hair loss before discussing options such as steroid injection into the skin, topical corticosteroids, JAK inhibitor treatment, or oral corticosteroid treatment.

Arrange a clinical assessment for new, rapidly enlarging, or repeated bald patches, especially when eyebrows or eyelashes are changing. Seek prompt care if scalp skin is painful, crusted, draining, or visibly inflamed, because those features can point to a different or additional problem. Eyelash loss with eye irritation or facial swelling also deserves timely review.

Could this pattern fit alopecia areata or another cause of hair loss? Should my eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, or other skin be examined? Which treatment is suitable for the extent and location of my hair loss, and what changes should prompt follow-up?